Story By: Charlene Peters / Photos Courtesy of Abide
ABIDE ABUZZ WITH RETAIL CERTIFICATION FOR ADULT-USE CANNABIS PRODUCTS
Abide Napa has taken the medicinal cannabis market in downtown Napa to an elevated level. It is the first dispensary in the county with retail certification to offer adult-use cannabis products. Adding this amenity to the city aligns with the growing, hip destination scene, but the success of a recreational use dispensary is, to be blunt, that cannabis products require qualified cannabis sommeliers.
Since its recent approval to expand the medicinal use to include adult-use retail in this premier wine region, the ‘budtenders’ at Abide Napa are ready to welcome – and educate– its customers, which include visitors and residents alike.
Walking into a dispensary can be a bit overwhelming, though, especially with the various product choices and options in ratios of CBD to THC. Consider the following anecdotal story, a cautionary tale proving the need for knowledgeable budtenders.
During a recent vacation in Southern California, two friends spent the evening exploring the downtown scene before stopping in a dispensary and enjoying a gummy. Neither of them were seasoned cannabis users, but one friend recalled the 1:1 ratio as the perfect gummy on a visit to Aspen a few years ago. With this past purchase in mind, they felt confident in purchasing a small box of pomegranate-flavored gummies with a 1:1 ratio of CBD and THC.
When they opened the box, the gummies were different than what one friend remembered. Instead of Lifesaver-looking gummies, these were flattened squares. They each took one before a stop at a restaurant to enjoy cocktails and appetizers al fresco. About 10 minutes later, they felt the gummies kick in – and not in the same format as Aspen, which was a light, fun, and slightly giggly feeling. Instead, this was a much stronger drugged feeling, a ‘our stomachs hurt –make it stop’ effect.
When they met for breakfast the next day, they realized an entire gummy was double the recommended dose. If only the budtender had informed them one piece was actually two doses, they would have been able to function and have fun instead of feeling truly impaired.
There are choices to be made during a visit to a dispensary, and a professional on staff is essential to provide accurate information. The engagement of legal cannabis lends to a new social etiquette and the responsibility of knowing how much is too much and how to measure that level for a recreational, not out-of-control, experience.
Abide Napa holds its staff to the highest standards and is at the ready to assist customers in the selection of products best dispensed for an individual’s recreational desires. Its mission is an honest approach to cultivating and dispensing product, and educating consumers to find the right delivery system, whether edibles, tinctures, vapes, topical creams, or ointments with the ideal dosage to meet their needs for either medicinal or recreational use.
Micah Malan, co-owner of Abide Napa, said it best: “With our expert understanding of cannabis’ medical properties, terroir variations, and terpenes in our strains, we are proud to be the cannabis sommelier of Napa.”
Malan is proud of Abide Napa’s curated menu and cannabis sommeliers. “You don’t want someone to take on too much cannabis if they’re not an experienced user,” he added. “We aren’t going to just wring you out. Buyers must understand what they’re getting. We educate you first and foremost.”
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
www.abidenapa.com // 1963 Iroquois St., Napa // 707-266-1967
